Fluid metering valve having differential hydraulic mechanism



March 24, 1953 v A c. B. LIVERS 2,632,472

FLUID METERING vALvE HAVING DIFFERENTIAL HYDRAULIC MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, 1951 Y 2i 7 Q .10 \J E 34L? 5A 'A A Z (Q; 4 I a 27% I A 4 INVENTOR. 6.8. Livers ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 24, 1953 MET.ERIN,G VALVE HAYING DIFFER- ENTIAL HYDRAULIC ,MECHANISM Garlos B. Livers, North Hollywood, :Galifi, as-

signor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind, 1a corporation .of :Delaware Application February 13, 1951, Serial No. 210,668

3 =Glaims.

This invention relates to shut-off valves for hydraulic motors tor-automatically stopping-such motors when theyhave been actuated through a predetermined distance, and particularly to valves for such purposes that respond directly to the quantity of fluid flowing through the motor as distinct from those that are mechanicallyatuated by the motor.

"There is disclosed in patent application \Serial No. 186,664, filed September '25, 1950, a fluidmetering shut-off valve in-which a valve is moved from open to closed position ata rate proportional to the rate of fluid flow through the valve, by passing the 'fluid through a motor of relatively large displacement, and causing the 'motor to drive a pump of small dis-placement which supplies fluid to a small valve motor that closes the valve.

An object of the present invention is to simplify, reduce the cost, and increase the accuracy of metering valves of the type disclosed in the prior application.

Other more specific objects and 'featurescf 'th invention will appear from the description to follow.

Thexpresen't invention represents a further development of the invention disclosed in the mentioned prior application, in that the motor and pump have only slightly difierent displacements, and the d'ifierential displacement of the two is utilized to close the valve. This provides sensitivity with amore practicable structure, in that it is easierto construct two motor or pump units of comparable small size, than to construct two such "units of radically diiierent sizes, as is necessaryii the displacement of a motor is-to be much greater than that of a pump driven thereby.

Briefly the automatic valve in accordance with the invention comprises a reciprocable valve movable between two limits by a small hydraulic motor, and blocking fluid =flow in one limit position. The motor is moved through its range at a speed proportional to the rate of fluid flow through the line in which the valve is inserted, but preferably slower in'the closing direction-oi the valve than in the opening direction. This is accomplished by directing the-entire flow through the valve motor during movement of the valve in the opening direction, and by limiting the flow through the motor to *a definite fraction of the total flow-during closing movement of the valve. Limitation of the flow froma fraction of the total flow is obtained in accordance with the invention by means of two hydraulic fluid-metering motors connected in series in the line, the two ance :with .the invention is shown connected by lines H and Ila between one end of a hydraulic motor cylinder I22, and theusual 4-way control or selector valve I13, which-isemanually operated to cause the piston :lrzaer .the motor .icylinderto move in either direction. "The other end of'the motor cylinder I2 is connected @by aline 14 tothe 4-way valve 13, and the latter is connected by a supply :line 15470 a .pump 16., and by an @exhaust line III to .areservoir 45. IASTiS welliknown, the

4-way valve 13 may be :moved between anposition in which :both the lines al In and [4 are blocked. to maintain the motor rpiston 12a stationary, .into a'position in which the pressure line :l5 is connected to the .line 1 la, and the exhaust line H is connected ".170 :the line i 4, for :moving the piston 12a to the right, or into another positioninwhich the :pump line 5 is connected to the line :Hband the exhaust line all is connected to the line Ha, for moving the motor piston 12a to the left.

"There are many applications :in which it is desirable to automatically limit lthe stroke of the motor 'lpiston lid. The valve ll] is provided for this purpose in th'e system disclosed, anditiunctions to .block flow between .the :line ll and the line :I .111 during leftward :movement :of th piston 12a, to stop the :latter :after a predetermined quantity of fluid :has flowed from ithefleft end of the motor-cylinder 12, through the line :H and theyalve l-ll.

'The valve I'll has only two external gports, namelyafirstport i8 connected to line H :leading from .the=-cy1inder 21:2, and :a "second port lfl connected to the line lzla leading to the selector valve lfl.

I'heseicond-port [disconnected by a passage 20 to .one side :of :a gear motor .24, the other side of which is connectedby a passage 22 to one {side of a second gear motor 534, and to tone :end of a branch passage 22a extending to the left end of amotorcylinder 23. The ll'ight'iend of {this motor cylinder constitutes a valve seat '24 cooperatin with a poppet valve '25 thatris connect'ed by a rod Zlijto api-s'ton 2 1 movable in the cylinder 23. The cylinder 2-3 is communicated :at :its right end, :by the valve seat 24, with a chamber 18 that ron- 3 nected by a passage I8a to the first port I8. An adjustable stop rod 29 for limiting the rightward movement of the poppet 25 is threaded through the wall of the body and is provided with a handle 30 at its outer end. A sealing piston 3| on the rod 29 prevents leakage of fluid therepast. A helical compression spring 32 may be provided between the seal 3| and the poppet 25 to urge the poppet and the piston 21 to the left, but this is not always essential.

As previously indicated, one side of the gear motor 34 is connected to the passage 22 and the branch passage 22a. The other side of this motor 34 is connected by a passage 35 to the right end of the cylinder 23. The gear motor 34 is shown as comprising two gears 34a and 34b respectively, and the gear 34a is coupled by a shaft 36 to one of the gears 2 la of the gear motor 2| so that the two motors are at all times forced to run in unison.

The gear motor 34 is by-passed by a passage 31 containing a check valve 38 for permitting flow past the gear motor 34 from the second port I9 while preventing reverse flow. A passage 39 containing a check and relief valve 43 extends from the second port I9 to the passage 35 for permitting fluid flow from the second port I9 past the valve 25 to the first port I8, to by-pass the gear motors when the pressure in the port I9 is sufliciently great to overcome the spring of the relief valve 40. This spring is so proportioned as to permit the relief valve to open at a pressure less than that required to drive the gear motors. On the other hand, the check valve 38 is provided with a very light spring and functions merely to prevent reverse flow.

Operation-The device is shown in position in which the motor piston I2a has been stopped during leftward movement by closure of the poppet 25 against the seat 24, thereby blocking the line I I. When it is desired to move the motor piston I2a to the right, the 4-way selector valve I3 is manipulated to connect the pump outlet line I to the line Ila, and connect the exhaust line H to the line I4. Pressure fluid thereupon enters the second port I9 of the valve I0 and flows through the passage 31, past the check valve 38, into the left end of the cylinder 23, moving the piston 21 therein to the right in so doing, and moving the poppet 25 in opening direction until the latter abuts against the stop rod 29. During this initial phase of the operation, fluid does not flow through the gear motor 34 or through the gear motor 2|, because the resistance to movement 'of those motors is greater than the resistance afforded by the check valve 38 and the piston 21. Likewise, it does not flow through the passage 39 because the resistance of the check valve 40 is suflicient to prevent such flow. However, after movement of the piston 21 has been terminated by contacting the stop 29, the flow of fluid through the passage 31, and the passage 2211 into the cylinder 23 is blocked, and the pressure then rises to a value sufiicient to open the check and relief valve 40 and permit the fluid to flow through the passage 35 and through the open valve seat 24 into the chamber 28 and through the first port I8 to the left end of the motor cylinder I2, moving the piston I2a therein to the right. This movement continues until either the piston IZa-reaches the right end of its stroke, or until the selector valve is restored to neutral position. In most instances the motion is continued until the piston |2a reaches the right end of its stroke.

When next the selector valve I3 is manipulated to supply pressure fluid to the line I4 and connect the line Ila to exhaust, the fluid flows through the line I I into the right end of the cylinder I2, moving the piston I2a therein to the left, and exhausting fluid through the line II into the first port I8 of the valve Ill. The fluid flows through the passage I8a and the chamber 28, valve seat 23, and through the passage 35. The fluid is blocked from flowing through the passage 39 by the relief check valve 40, so that it must flow through the gear motor 33 and thence through the passage 22 and the gear motor 2| and the passage to the second port I9 and the back to the selector valve I3.

The gear motor 2| is designed to have a slightly larger displacement than the gear motor 33, and

since the two motors are positively coupled together by the shaft 36 to rotate in unison, the motor 2| will always displace more fluid than the motor 34. It is apparent therefore that the gear motor 2| displaces fluid from the passage 22 more rapidly than it is being supplied thereto by the gear motor 34. The differential displacement fluid is supplied through the passage 22a from the left end of the cylinder 23 to permit movement of the piston 21 to the left. During this time, pressure of the fluid entering the first port I3 is applied through the cylinder 23 to the right end of the piston 21, urging the latter to the left, and it moves leftward as fast as the fluid in the left end of the cylinder 23 is exhausted therefrom by the differential displacement between the gear motors 2| and 34. When the motor piston |2a has traveled a predetermined distance to the left, the poppet 25 closes against the seat 24, positively blocking any further flow of fluid through the line H, and stopping the motor piston I2a in a position determined by the amount of fluid that is required to move the poppet 25 from its rightmost position against the stop 29 into its leftmost position against the seat 24. This completes a cycle of operation.

The difierential displacement of the two motors 2| and 33 can be very small. Hence the amount of fluid displaced by the piston 21 can also be very small, and can be a very small'fraction of the total volume of fluid' flowing through the motors 2| and 33. This makes it possible for the cylinder 23 and the piston 2'! to be relatively small and compact.

When the pressure fluid is supplied to the pres sure port I9 to move the piston |2a to the right, all of the fluid initially flows past the check valve 38 into the left end of the cylinder 23, thereby filling this cylinder very rapidly and moving the piston 21 through its full stroke into contact with the stop 29 before the motor piston 52a has traveled any appreciable distance,-; This insures positive resetting of the valve 25 against the stop 29 on each operation. Furthermore, it permits the operator, if he so desires, to move the motor piston I2a a further distance to the left by the following procedure. He first admits pressure fluid into the line II just lon enough to restore the piston 21 into the rightmost posi-, tion (which operation moves the motor piston I2a hardly at all), and then immediately reverses the valve I3 to again supply pressure fluid to the line It. The motor piston I2a then moves a further distance to'the left equal to its normal movement from the right end of its stroke, because the movement of the piston 21 will again meter the normal amount of fluid.

Obviously, the position in which the piston I24; is normally stopped may be varied between wide limits by adjusting the stop 29.

As has been previously indicated, the spring 32 urging the piston 21 to the left, is not always necessary. Ordinarily, the resistance to rotation of the motors 2| "and 34 will develop sufi'icient pressure in the cylinder 23 to insure movement of the piston 21 to the left as fast as fluid is pumped from the left end of the cylinder by the differential displacement of the two gear motors. However, by providing additional force on the piston 21, as by means of the spring 32, its operation can be made more positive, particularly if the frictional resistance to movement of the piston 21 in the cylinder 23 is unusually do not desire to be limited to the exact details shown and described.

Iclaim:

1. A device of the type described comprising: a motor-actuated valve; a reversible hydraulic Valve motor driving said valve for closing the valve in one end position of said motor, and opening the valve in other positions of said motor; a first fluid-metering hydraulic motor; a second fluid-metering hydraulic motor, and means mechanically coupling said two metering motors together for movement in unison; means defining first and second line ports, and passage means interconnecting said valve and said metering motors in series relation between said first and second line ports; said metering motors having different displacements; and means connecting said valve motor in shunt to the meteringmotor of lesser displacement; said valve motor being so poled relative to the polarity of the differential flow of said metering motors that the valve motor is driven in valve-closing direction by the diiferential fluid flow of said metering motors in response to fiow from said first port to said second port.

2. A device according to claim 1 includin auxiliary passage means connecting said valve motor between said ports independently of said metering motors, and check valve means in said auxiliary passage means b ocking flow therethrough from said first port to said second port.

3. A device according to claim 2 having a second auxiliary passage by-passing said metering motors, and a relief and check valve therein for blocking flow therethrough from said first port to said second port, and offering more resistance to flow from said second port to said first port than said valve motor, and less resistance than said metering motors.

CARLOS B. LIVERS.

No references cited. 

